


Methods of Learning

by charleybradburies



Series: Cap & Iron Man Tiny Reverse Bang 2015 [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Accidental Relationship, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Angsty Schmoop, Awkward Romance, Awkwardness, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Boys Kissing, Canon Disabled Character, Cap_Ironman Tiny Reverse Bang, Character Development, Community: 1_million_words, Community: cap_ironman, Community: marvel_slash, Developing Relationship, Dorks in Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied Slash, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Innuendo, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Male Slash, Male-Female Friendship, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Not Actually Unrequited Love, One Night Stands, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, POV Male Character, POV Tony Stark, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Slash, Romance, Scheming, Schmoop, Slash, Stony Bingo, Tony Being Tony, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-20 00:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4766030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charleybradburies/pseuds/charleybradburies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>cap-ironman capim-tinybang | round ten: justice (<a href="http://capim-tinybang.tumblr.com/post/127855675745/title-slipping-out-to-play-artist-selofain-link">art</a>)<br/>ston bingo square T2 | harmless pranks</p><p>The first half hour of the party is agonizing, and it’s no less than luck that no one remarks on Tony’s uneasiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Methods of Learning

The first half hour of the party is agonizing, and it’s no less than luck that no one remarks on Tony’s uneasiness. 

Maybe it was that he and Steve argued so much in the first place that any tension was _just that unremarkable,_ but Tony’s not totally willing to risk any real guesses.

But Steve’s always been braver than he is - which isn’t saying much, since Steve is braver than basically everyone ever - and the lingering question of whether he’ll be coming back for another round is answered when he essentially waves off Tony’s attempt to explain a project of his and pretends he understands less about the mechanics of it than Tony’s honestly pretty sure he does.

“Why don’t you just _show_ me?”

“Right, Steve’s a what’s-it-called, _kinesthetic,_ learner,” Natasha supplies easily, and the pursed lips with which she’s sipping her drink and feeding Steve’s scheme says everything that Tony might need to know about her stance on things.

“It means he learns best by doing,” she tells Tony with that tone of hers whose condescension is so slight you might almost think it were inadvertent if you didn’t know her.

Tony does know her.

“I do _know_ what kinesthetic means, Romanoff,” he replies with his own similar tone, and she shrugs, pretending not to have a response, even though she probably has ten. Steve’s eyebrows are raised, and Tony’s pulse replies in turn to him as well; it’s no coincidence that he’s unsteady walking from the room, though not so unsteady as to turn heads, only just unsteady enough that he isn’t surprised that Steve grabs one of his arms to steady him after they’ve turned down the hall.

“You know, sooner or later, someone _will_ notice if we don’t go back,” Tony eventually stumbles, only growing less sure of himself and the situation as they get closer and closer to his shop.

“I asked for a hands-on demonstration of some up-and-coming technology. I never said _anything_ about not going back to the party,” Steve says, far too confident, with almost practiced certainty. He lets Tony’s breath come to a near halt, not speaking again for the few moments before they’re immediately approaching the workshop - not until he’s playing the gentleman and opening the door, thoughtlessly rotating the hand of his on Tony’s arm, keeping it touching him even though Tony’s obviously managed to walk himself through the building without falling.

Tony does them the service of turning away slightly to reach for the manual light switch - which is telling, since the Tower really only has manual switches for anything because of Steve, who still somehow lived in a world in which he had to everything for himself and asking a robot to do anything for him was an absurd concept, and Clint, so that if he didn’t feel like working to listen to anyone or anything he could still make things work without having to verbally communicate - and soon finds himself leaning back against the wall beside it. 

Not pressed, of course, because Steve’s really too much of a gentleman for that, but leaning noticeably enough that Steve’s followed suit; and even though he hasn’t had a drop of alcohol he can’t help but think his judgment’s been impaired somehow for him to be the one pulling Steve into him. Maybe it’s desperation, maybe it’s hope, maybe he’s got more nerve than he’d thought, but it seems that it’s the motion of Tony’s arms being slung over Steve’s shoulders that spurs Steve to actually - _finally_ \- kiss him. Well, finally, _again._ And all too gently, of course - like the whole moment’s being slowed down, like Steve’s worried Tony might break if he grabbed on too tightly - but that only sweetens things because he gets to realize that Steve’s _thought_ about this, that he _is thinking_ about it, considering each movement he makes... _choosing_ to continue.

So this moment itself is even better than its impassioned predecessor those few nights past, because there’s no way out of its truth, no way for Tony to convince himself that Steve’s caught up in the heat of the moment, not when there’s no heat to begin with, just tension that quickly starts to melt away between them.

“Besides,” Steve eventually pulls away to whisper, the smack of wet lips and rise of their chests audible as they breathe, “Natasha wants to do karaoke again, so...I think the coast is clear.”

“Bastard,” Tony chuckles breathlessly, realizing that there had been planning involved in getting him and Steve away from the party.

But that’s not to say that Tony _minds_ that a plan had been executed - not when Steve’s response is simply to shrug in a way that not only conveys his understanding but lets him move his hands to Tony’s sides, and kiss him again.


End file.
